Aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate is a white, crystalline material having a specific gravity of 2000 kg/m.sup.3 and a bulk density (apparent density) of 1200 kg/m.sup.3. It can obtain 55 to 65 weight % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 45 to 35 weight % water, preferably 58 weight % Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 42 weight % H.sub.2 O.
Aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate can be reacted to form sodium aluminate and in that way be employed as starting material for the production of aluminum silicates, as, e.g., synthetic zeolites (see, e.g., German AS No. 24 47 021 and related Roebke U.S. application Ser. No. 617,394, filed Sept. 29, 1975 and German AS No. 25 17 218 and related Roebke U.S. Pat. No. 4,073,867).
However, there appear problems for an industrial use of aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate, which problems are based on the properties of the aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate. Thus, for example, a siloing of aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate is not possible because bridges form in the silo which solidify in cement-like condition and close the entire outlet cross-section of the silo. This bridge formation cannot be prevented even by known discharge aids.
It is known to store aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate in pits from which it can be lifted out with claws via cranes under considerable industrial expense and then supplied to the further working up process.
A considerable disadvantage of this method of storage in the non-uniform metering of the aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate for the further working up during which as a rule variations of up to 20 kg per batch of aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate taken from the storage pit can occur.
Furthermore, the storage of large amounts of aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate in pits requires in regard to surface area a large expenditure of space.
There is the necessity of finding a form for handling and storing aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate which permits an exact metering and slight expenditure of space.
Besides the storing and handling in known form is very time consuming, requires much personnel and accident prone. Furthermore, the aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate in uncovered storage is additionally exposed to the influence of weather through which there can occur an undesirable deterioration of the quality of the pulverulent aluminum hydroxide wet hydrate.